Lorry drivers – Top misconceptions revealed

A new study has found that as many as four fifths of Britons wrongly think that Britons only task is to drive, two thirds believe they sleep in the driver’s seat and over half believe it to be an incredibly lonely profession. What’s more, two fifths believe lorry drivers can only be male.

One in nine Britons know someone who drives a lorry and believe they love their job, being able to travel and meeting different people, yet up to four fifths of Britons wrongly believe it to be a laborious, uncomfortable and lonely job.

The team behind www.wmblogistics.co.uk  conducted the research as part of an ongoing study into Britons perceptions of lorry drivers. 2,367 Britons aged 18 and over, all of whom stated that they hold a full UK driver’s license, were quizzed for the purpose of the study on what they believe to be true of lorry drivers and their working lives. 

Firstly, all respondents were asked “Do you know anyone who drivers a lorry for a living?” to which 11% stated that ‘yes’ they do. When asked if their friends seemed to enjoy their job, more than three quarters (78%) stated that ‘yes’ they do. When asked what their friends seemed to enjoy the most, respondents cited ‘being able to travel the country/world’ (32%), ‘the different people they get to meet’ (31%) and ‘no two days being the same’ (28%). 

Following on from this, and in a bid to determine what Britons understood about the life of a lorry driver, all respondents were provided with a list of statements about lorry drivers, not informed that they were all misconceptions, and asked to select all those that they believed to be true. The top misconceptions that Britons believe were found to be:

1. A lorry drivers only task is to drive - 79% (incorrectly believed this to be true)
2. Lorry drivers sleep in the driver’s seat - 65%
3. Being a lorry driver is a lonely profession - 52%
4. Lorry drivers can only be male - 41%
5. Anyone with a driving license can drive a lorry - 20% 

Asked who they believed loaded and unloaded the lorry, 91% of respondents believe that there were people whose job was dedicated to this. Furthermore, asked why they believe that lorry drivers sleep in their seat, respondents thought this because ‘cabs are small and there’s no space for a bed’ (42%) and ‘the company can’t afford to put all lorry drivers in hotels’ (30%). 

What’s more, 19% of respondents didn’t realise that lorry cabs had gadgets in them, including fridges, kettles and more. Asked how they thought lorry drivers ate and drank throughout the day without these, respondents thought they ‘took a lunchbox’ (38%) and ‘had to stop to make a purchase when they were hungry/thirsty’ (35%).

A spokesperson for www.wmblogistics.co.uk commented: “Believe it or not, being a lorry driver isn’t just driving up and down the motorway, it’s much more; they help to load and unload the lorries, they get to meet all sorts of interesting people from all walks of life, and they are provided with a cab that is incredibly high-tech. Lorry drivers are offered a variety of home comforts and they treat their cab with the highest level of respect. They’re such a proud bunch of people who do a fantastic job.”